Free-standing objects placed on slopes typically stand at an angle that is slightly but noticeably off vertical. This is the case for example with plant pots placed on a garden area, sidewalk or driveway or refuse receptacles or newspaper vending machines placed on sloping roadsides. Even outdoor areas such as parking lots or shopping plazas may be perceived as level but in fact are typically sloped for drainage, with the result that any object such as a plant pot or refuse receptacle placed in such an area is likely to be seated slightly off-vertical. Many ad hoc methods have been developed for improving the leveling of such free-standing objects, typically involving placing one or more shims under the object, but the result is generally less than satisfactory. This is partly because the deviation from vertical is often in more than one direction at the same time and it is difficult to make accurate and simultaneous adjustments at the base of the object so that a true vertical of the free-standing receptacle or other object is achieved despite the underlying slope.
Devices for providing a level surface for supporting objects on a slope have been developed, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,017,152 to Alpaugh; U.S. Pat. No. 3,043,049 to Gleason; U.S. Pat. No. 3,312,436 to Beghetto; U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,244 to Gopstein; U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,905 to Stolz; U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,137 to Hastings; U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,906 to Fatool et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,514 to Smith; U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,350 to Zorichak; U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,957 to Shagoury; U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,864 to Flores; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,866 to Roy. Such prior art has certain limitations and disadvantages when applied to the problem of providing a level support surface for a free-standing object on a slope. Such disadvantages include: having one or more extensible support legs or other supporting elements that protrude beyond the object supported; having mechanical parts that could jam or corrode if the product were used in an outdoor environment; being relatively complex to adjust for varying slopes; or utilizing an approach that may not be aesthetically pleasing.
Related art can also be found in objects developed to support or adjust furniture legs, pieces of furniture or larger objects having more than one locus of support, examples being U.S. Pat. No. 1,006,974 to Moore & McMahon, U.S. Pat. No. 3,018,992 to Lore, U.S. Pat. No. 3,021,638 to Kristek, U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,730 to Costar, U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,548 to Melles and U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,767 to Bezenek. In the approaches described in this prior art, the supporting components are attached to each other or to the object supported, requiring disengagement for adjusting, and/or involve a supported object which has attachments or supports at points additional to the support provided at the base of the supported object. As noted above, frequently metal components or mechanical parts are essential to the above inventions, which limits their utility in an outdoor environment, where factors leading to jamming, rusting and corrosion are likely to be involved.
Accordingly, it is an object of an embodiment of this invention to provide an easily adjustable leveling pedestal assembly for leveling a free-standing object in relation to an underlying surface.
Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the description that follows.